The EX in GENEREX

Three decades of Excitation System Support specialization. Static with collector rings. Brushless with diode wheels. Every major OEM.

Request a Technical Briefing →
The Situation

Nothing Takes a Generator Offline
Faster than the Exciter

The rotor is an electromagnet. The exciter keeps it magnetized. When the exciter fails, the generator produces zero power — almost instantaneously — and your revenue loss begins before anyone notices anything.

The Excitation System Support is the Achilles heel of a generator. It fails more often than almost any other component — and when it goes, it usually goes without warning.

The EX in GENEREX is deliberate. Excitation is the specialty Generex has invested in most deeply — thirty years of field work, plus specialist certifications from Siemens, GE, and Doble. It is the work Charles takes personally, because the consequences of getting it wrong are immediate and expensive.

"In the world of Excitation System Support, cleanliness is the most under-appreciated reliability factor in the industry. More excitation failures are caused by contamination than by any other single factor — and contamination is almost always preventable with proper maintenance discipline."

Charles J. Wolfe

How Generex Approaches Excitation System Support

Static or Brushless? We Know Both

01

Static Systems — Collector Rings and Brushes

  • Mature and reliable when properly maintained. The risk is carbon dust accumulation, which leads to field ground faults, ring flashover, and rotor damage. Maintenance discipline is everything — and most of the static-system failures Generex sees in the field were preventable.
02

Brushless Systems — Rotating Armature and Diode Wheel

  • Elegant architecture. The risk lives in the diode wheel — a rotating rectifier in a harsh thermal environment, where a single failed diode can trip a unit without warning. Reliable refurbishment requires specialist knowledge most service organizations do not have in-house.
03

Manufacturer Coverage

  • Electric Machinery. Kato. Westinghouse. General Electric. Siemens. Brown Boveri. Certifications include the Siemens-Westinghouse Field Engineer Program, the GE Excitation and LCI Program, and both OEMs' Generator Specialist Programs.
What the Engagement Includes

Scope of an Excitation
System Engagement

Testing and Diagnostics

  • Diode and fuse testing and replacement on brushless systems
  • Field ground detector troubleshooting (brush contact, RF, optical systems)
  • Rotating armature testing on brushless exciters
  • Stationary field pole testing
  • Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG) testing and inspection
  • RC snubber network analysis

Maintenance & Component Work

  • Diode wheel refurbishment
  • Collector ring inspection and cleaning
  • Hydrogen seal and radial stud replacement per OMM-124
  • Brush rigging maintenance and replacement

Advisory and Documentation

  • Excitation System Support condition assessments with written reports
  • Maintenance strategy and reliability recommendations
  • Bid specification support for planned overhauls
Technical Capability

The Depth of Excitation Specialization

Excitation Specialization

Diode Wheel Refurbishment

Disassembly, refurbishment, and individual component testing on: diodes, fuses, RC snubbers, and reassemble to OEM tolerances. Electrical testing on stator poles.

Field Ground Detection

We have experience with FGD systems operating via optical coupling, RF coupling, or testing via retractable probe. We can help eliminate FGD nuisance trips and alarms.

Testing Certifications

All of our equipment is professionally calibrated and maintained. All testing and repair activities are performed in keeping with ANSI, NEMA, and IEEE standards.

Vintage / Obsolete Excitation Systems

We also work on systems such as ALTERREX and GENERREX excitation systems which get little-to-no OEM support.

Engage Generex for
Excitation System Support Work

A short technical briefing establishes scope and determines the right path forward — whether you need a one-time diagnostic, scheduled maintenance, a planned overhaul, or a long-term reliability partnership.

Request a Technical Briefing → Explore All Services →